Denver Dealing With Budget Issues, Makes Public Service Cuts

Denver, a Democrat-controlled city, has announced a $45 million funding package to assist with the influx of migrant arrivals. This comes as the city faces budget cuts of over $8 million for the police department. Mayor Mike Johnston stated that the additional funding is necessary to fully support programs for “newcomers” and avoid projected worst-case scenarios for the city.

The city has already allocated $44 million for these programs through previous budget decisions. This announcement comes after the city experienced a drastic increase in spending on migrants, from $2 million a month in August to $15 million in December of last year.

Mayor Johnston expressed relief that the city finally has a sustainable plan to support these migrants while also keeping city services intact. The mayor’s office assured that there will be no layoffs or furloughs for city employees, but some cuts will still need to be made to accommodate the $45.9 million in additional funding.

The mayor’s office itself will see a budget cut of nearly 10%, while the police department will face a budget cut of $8.4 million, approximately 1.9% of its budget. This will be achieved through restrictions on hiring for open positions. The police department will still be able to hire new officers for Denver International Airport, which will cover the costs of a recruiting class.

Other departments will also face budget cuts, with the fire department’s budget being reduced by less than 1% or about $2.5 million. This will mainly come from not filling open positions.

Part of the new funding will be allocated to a program called “Denver Asylum Seekers Program,” which aims to assist around 1,000 individuals in the shelter system by providing temporary housing assistance for six months. Additionally, there will be a program called “WorkReady” that will provide training opportunities, including language instruction, to migrants in order to increase their employability.

The city has provided aid to more than 40,000 migrants over the past 16 months, spending over $68 million. A spokesperson for Mayor Johnston emphasized that the cuts are not “defunding” the police, as some have claimed, but rather just a small decrease in the budget.

He also stated that there are plans to add 167 new police recruits to the force in 2024 and that these cuts will not affect public services or result in any officers being taken off the streets. The spokesperson also noted that the 1.9% cut to the police department is actually less than the average of 2.5% cuts to all city agencies.

There has been criticism from some stating that these budget cuts for the police department are a form of “defunding” the police, a controversial concept that has gained attention in recent years. However, Mayor Johnston’s spokesperson argued that these adjustments were carefully planned with input from safety leaders to ensure no impact on the department’s services.

He also highlighted the fact that the mayor has invested millions in adding 167 new police recruits in 2024 and remains committed to investing in public safety to ensure the safety of all Denver residents.

This is not an isolated issue for Denver, as other liberal cities such as New York City and Chicago have also faced budgetary challenges due to the influx of migrants. While Denver’s decision to allocate more funding to support migrants may be met with criticism by some, Mayor Johnston and the city’s officials believe it is necessary to address the current situation and continue providing aid to those in need. The city remains committed to finding solutions that will benefit both residents and newcomers while maintaining its public services.